Water mattress construction

Abstract

A water mattress construction is disclosed. The construction involves a folded one-piece vinyl sheet wherein the only longitudinal seam is located on the bottom, thereby avoiding side seams on the mattress and wherein the end seams are located below the upper mattress surface. Lap seams are used throughout for additional strength.

I claim: 
     
       1. A water mattress of three-dimensional, rectangular box-like construction fabricated from a unitary sheet of a flexible material, comprising a top panel, a pair of vertical side panels folded downward on either side of the top panel, a pair of upper end panels folded downward at either end of the top panel, a first bottom panel portion folded horizontally inwardly from the lower edge of one of the vertical side panels, a second bottom panel portion folded horizontally inwardly from the lower edge of the other of the vertical side panels and in lap-seamed engagement with the first bottom panel portion, a first pair of lower end panels folded vertically upward at either end of the first bottom panel portion and in lap-seamed engagement with the corresponding edges of the upper end panels above, a second pair of lower end panels folded vertically upward at either end of the second bottom panel porton and in lap-seamed engagement with the corresponding edges of the upper end panels above, a lap seam between the adjacent edges of adjacent lower end panels at each end of the mattress, and lap seams at each corner of the mattress among the side panels, the upper end panels and the lower end panels. 
     
     
       2. A water mattress fabricated from a unitary sheet of flexible material folded and seamed into a hollow rectangular three-dimensional shape comprising a rectangular top panel providing the upper exposed mattress surface, a pair of vertical rectangular side panels on either side of said top panel folded downwardly therefrom, a rectangular half bottom panel extending from the lower edge of each of said side panels and folded inwardly therefrom with the innermost edges thereof in overlapping sealed relationship to form a rectangular bottom panel parallel to and coextensive with said top panel with said overlapped edges forming a lap seam extending the length thereof, a partial end panel extending from the ends of each of said top and bottom panels at right angles thereto toward the opposed end panel and terminating with the innermost edge thereof in overlapping sealed relationship to form, at each end of the mattress, a rectangular end panel parallel to its opposite member with the spaced overlapped edges forming a lap seam extending the length of said end panel, the width of said partial end panels being such that said end panel lap seam is positioned at least half the width of said end panel below said top panel, and with lap seams at each corner of said mattress between adjacent vertical edges of said side and end panels.